With the hotly contested match ending in dramatic fashion, Urawa Red Diamonds claimed their record tying eight Emperor's Cup title. In the final, in which Urawa defeated Oita Trinita 2-1, it was MAKINO Tomoaki who became the hero. “I am an entertainer, so I had to steal the show,” said the defender, who is leaving the club at the end of the season.

It was Urawa who struck first in this match, as KOIZUMI Yoshio and KOIZUMI Yoshio worked the right flank to set up the shot of ESAKA Ataru from the edge of the box, which gave Urawa the lead in the sixth minute. Oita, who are known for their patience in defence, were thwarted at the outset, but rallied in the second half by changing their formation. With time running out, PEREIRA headed in a cross from SHIMODA Hokuto to equalise the match in the 90th minute.

Following the late equaliser, Urawa had to make a difficult choice between taking the risk to win the match or trying to regroup for extra time. Makino, who came on in the 83rd minute to take over the captain's role, later mentioned that he consulted with NISHIKAWA Shusaku, in which the goalkeeper told him to “Go out there and steal the show.”

In the third minute of additional time, SHIBATO Kai responded to a cleared ball to strike a volley shot from distance. With Makino redirecting the shot with a header, goalkeeper TAKAGI Shun, who played a key role in Oita's semi-final win over the defending champions Kawasaki, was unable to react and the goal brought the 57,785 spectators on their feet.

After six years at the helm in Oita, coach KATANOSAKA Tomohiro missed out on his first title, but praised his players, “The players never gave up,” while Urawa’s coach Ricardo RODRIGUEZ commented, “I want to thank the Urawa family.” Team captain ABE Yuki, who is retiring at the end of this season, held the Cup high, and the Emperor's Cup JFA 101st Japan Football Championship came to an end.

Coaches and Players’ Comments

Ricardo RODRIGUEZ, Coach (Urawa Red Diamonds)
It wasn't an easy game, as we didn't know what kind of system Oita would play, so we didn't know which spaces to exploit or how to break them down. However, we managed to express what we wanted to do in the first half and did not give them any chances. We entered the game well and scored the first goal in the early minutes, which was great, but we couldn’t possess the ball in the second half. Oita brought in tall players, so we tried to protect the lead by playing defensively but ended up conceding the equaliser. But the players were undeterred and fought with confidence until the end. It was their reaction that won the game.

MAKINO Tomoaki (Urawa Red Diamonds)
My phone is ringing off the hook. Some people say that I'm lucky, and maybe I have more luck than others. However, I have worked hard to earn this spot, especially since I was told that my contract was expiring after this season, I have been practising every day to fulfil my role on this team. In the matches, my role was to set the mood of the team, and I was also used as a substitute to reinforce the defence. There were times when I had to change my position up front to score goals. I have given my best in all of our training sessions and practiced shooting more than anyone else after each session. I've been wanting to score goals since I was a kid, and even at my age I've never stopped striving for it. It feels like that my efforts have been paid off.

KATANOSAKA Tomohiro, Coach (Oita Trinita)
It was disappointing to concede the goal so early. We wanted to keep the game tied and seize our chances, but we couldn’t stop Urawa from connecting their passes and failed to create chances against their intense defence. However, we were able to make the necessary adjustments and possess the ball in the second half. Although we were able to score the equaliser from a set-play, Urawa got the better of us at the end, and suffered a disappointing defeat. As for the game, we didn't start well, but we were able to make adjustments to manage our opponents and found our rhythm in offence as time went on, but unfortunately it didn't lead us to victory.

PEREIRA (Oita Trinita)
Frankly, I am disappointed. We got back in the game at the end but conceded the game winner right afterwards. It is still difficult to sort out my feelings, but I hope we can use this experience to get back to J1 in a year. Personally, I am disappointed that my first goal of the season came so late and that it did not lead the team to victory. I have not been able to play a lot of games this season, but I have gradually adapted to the environment and the team. Although we were relegated to J2 in the league, we managed to reach the final of the Emperor's Cup and showcase our style of football. The supporters were very encouraging on and off the pitch. I was really happy.

Emperor's Cup JFA 101st Japan Football Championship

【1st Round】Sat. 22, Sun. 23 May [Backup date: Mon. 24 May]
【2nd Round】Wed. 9, Wed. 16 June
【3rd Round】Wed. 7 July [Backup date: Wed. 14 July]
【Round of 16】Wed. 18 August [Backup date: Wed. 13 October]
【Quarterfinals】Wed. 27 October［Backup date: Wed. 17 November］
【Semi-Finals】Sun. 12 December
【Final】Sun. 19 December

Tournament Information